He Never Loved Me Until the Day I Finally Left Him novel Chapter 616

Helena fell silent, turning her head to stare out the car window.

But the situation felt as though it had already slipped completely out of her grasp.

It was gradually spiraling out of control.

While events seemed to be moving along her arranged trajectory...

...all the rules of engagement had entirely been shredded.

She lowered her head, growing increasingly quiet.

Suddenly, a wave of doubt washed over her, making her question if she was truly making the right choices.

In the midst of her heavy silence, Sebastian reached over and grasped her hand.

His long, elegant fingers slipped between hers, firmly interlocking their palms in an inescapable grip.

Their fingers remained tightly interlaced.

She shifted slightly, but he offered her zero room to resist.

They remained linked just like that.

It wasn't until the car finally pulled up to the driveway of the villa that things changed.

"We're here," Sebastian announced.

Helena stepped out of the car and followed him inside.

The butler and the maids were clearly expecting her arrival.

They greeted her with the utmost courtesy.

She offered them a polite nod in return.

She was immediately led upstairs to the master bedroom, with Sebastian following closely behind.

"The Boutique will deliver a new wardrobe for you shortly," he remarked casually. "If there's anything else you need, just let the butler know."

"There's no need. It's only for a week," she refused flatly.

Sebastian leveled a direct look at her. "Helena, I don't like the things Julian bought for you. Do you understand?"

"Fine. Whatever makes you happy, Mr. Hayes," she replied, not bothering to fight him on it.

"Be good," he coaxed with a soft smile.

Yet, she knew all too well that his smile didn't reach his eyes.

A stark realization hit her: Sebastian was actively engaged in a ruthless power struggle against Julian.

She was merely a tool caught in the crossfire.

Just because the two titans had maintained a surface-level peace over the years didn't mean there wasn't intense friction beneath it all.

Sebastian had been entirely blocked from expanding into Coralia's market.

The Campbell Family, meanwhile, had been completely shut out of Riverton.

Hearing her choices, Sebastian gave her a knowing, half-amused look.

They were standing dangerously close again.

"Helena, are these the dishes you like, or the ones I like?" he asked pointedly.

She kept her composure flawlessly. "They just came to mind."

"Alright," Sebastian agreed with a single nod.

"Oh," she murmured, leaving it at that.

Only then did Sebastian turn on his heel and walk out of the master bedroom.

The second the door clicked shut, Helena let out a breath, though it did little to ease the suffocating tension in her chest.

The anxiety was impossible to suppress.

It was supposedly only for a week, but as she thought about what lay ahead...

She felt entirely unmoored, having absolutely no idea what he was planning next.

Almost at the exact same moment, her phone vibrated in her pocket.

Glancing at the screen, she answered it immediately.

"Are you done with work? What made you call so suddenly?" she asked, a trace of nervous tension bleeding into her words.

Because the caller was Julian.